Device for safe transportation of eggs.



F. K. PLUMBLY.

DEVICE FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF EGGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1913.

L1 29, 1 1 9., Pai ented Feb. 23, 1915.

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FREADERICK K. PLUMELY, 0F MOUNT IVY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR r0 PLUMBLY STEELEGG CASE COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION 03E EGGS.

Specification of Letteislate'nt.

Patent-ed Feb. 23, 1915.

AppIication filed May 20, 1913. Serial No. 768,699.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREADERICK K. PLUM- BLY,a citizen of the United States, and resident of Mount Ivy, in the countyof Rockland and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Devicesfor Safe Transportation of Eggs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for trans porting eggs safely, and itsprincipal object is to provide simple, efficient, economic, andimprovedmeans for handling, transporting, and storing large quantities of eggswithout breakage or other loss.

Other objects are to provide improved means for thorough ventilation ofthe eggs while in transit or storage whereby their deterioration isprevented, for conveniently handling the eggs, and for effectuallysealing the devices containing the eggs to prevent unauthorizedtampering with the contents. V

Other object and advantages will hereinafter appear. 7

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of theegg transporting receptacle, taken on the longitudinal center linethereof, showing it loaded with egg fillers and ready for generalhandling and shipment. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, and shows thegeneral arrangement of the tubular egg fillers, one of the heads beingshown removed for clearer illustration. Fig. 3 is a general elevation,partly in full and partly sectional, of one of the tubular egg fillers.Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa perspective view of the endof the egg filler, and shows the means of look ing the edges of thefiller sheetthereat. Fig. 6 is a plan view, partly broken away, showingthe metal strips and springs of the egg fillers. Fig. '7 is aperspective view of the end of the metal strip. Fig. 8 is a fragmentaryview showing the edges of the sheet which holds the fillers, and themanner of locking and unlocking said edges. Fig. 9 is an end view ofFig. 8.

The filler tube 1 is made of an oblong sheet 2, of cardboard or othertough and pliant material suitable for this purpose, which is curved tothe tubular cylindrical form shown. At each corner of one of the longsides of the sheet 2 is provided a slit 3, and a hole 4 is provided ateach corner of the opposite side of the sheet, whereby when the sheet iscurved into a tube the slitted portions 5 may be passed through theholes 4, as shown in Fig. 5, and the edges 6 of the sheet thereby lockedtogether to maintain the tubular form.

Within the tube 1 is placed a sheet-metal strip 7 preferably of springsteel, which is of the same length as the tube and in crosssectionalshape follows its curvature, Figs. 4: and 7. Said strip is held againstthe inner side of the tube, and longitudinal and lateral displacementthereof prevented, by a projection or ear 8 thereon at each end beingbent to lap around the edges 9 of the tube 1, as shown in Fig. 3. Thestrip 7 is stamped out at several places "7 along the middle portionthereof, whereby a plurality of flat springs 10 are formed, whlch extendfrom the strip perpendicularly to the axis of the tube. The springs 10are evenly spaced and distanced to permit eggs to be placed between themlengthwise in the direction of the axis of the tube, with some room forclearance and slight movement, the inner diameter of the tube being madeslightly larger than the width of the eggs.

To place the eggs 1' within the filler the strip 7 is first secured tothe tube 1, the eggs inserted, and the tube then closed. Another way isto maintain the tube closed, place the eggs upon the strip 7, and theninsert the strip through the open end of the tube therewithin and lapthe ears8thereover. Openings 11 are provided at the opposite sides ofthe tube, which serve for admitting ample air. within the fillers topermit ventilation while the eggs are in transit, said holes being alsoconvenient for candling the eggs while held within the fillers and forother purposes. The filler is preferably proportioned to hold si'x eggs,as this number is usually found convenient for counting and generalhandling.

In order to ship the loaded egg fillers, a receptacle is providedtherefor, Figs. 1 and 2, comprising a corrugated metal sheet 12 andcircular wooden heads 18 therefor. Said sheet is rolled into curved orcrescent form, and can be readily curled into circular form by its edges14: being pulled toward each other and locked to constitute a shell, asshown in Fig. 2. The edges 14 are locked by means of buttons 15 rivetedadjacent one edge being passed through the circular part 16 of openings17 in the opposite edge, and the shanks 18 of the buttons being drawnagainst the extremity of the slotted portion 19 of said openings. Tojoin the heads 13 to the sheet 12 they are placed within the ends 12 ofthe sheet, or what is now the shell, and a rod 20 constituting a bolt ispassed through openings 21 provided at the centers of said heads, andthey are therewith bolted together. One end 20 of said rod is flattenedand bent at 22 and has a projecting lug 23 passing into a recess. 2 1 ofthe head, which prevents the end of the rod passing therethrough andalso holds it against rotation. The opposite ends 20 of the rod isthreaded and passes through the opening 21 of the opposite head. Ahandle 25 having a tapped nut 26 threads over said tapped end 20 andbeing tightened secures both heads 13 forcibly to the sheet 12. Straps27 are secured to the heads 18 and projecting beyond the shell 12 at 28serve, among other objects, to limit the movement of the heads withinthe shell when said handle is thus tightened. The handle 25 is pivotedto the nut 26 at 29 whereby it normally lies flat, projecting no fartherthan said straps, and is therefore not in the Way when the receptaclesare loaded in freight or in storage.

hen the loaded egg fillers are to be shipped they are placed within thereceptacle as shown in Fig. 2, the fillers arranging themselves readilyas indicated. The heads may then be bolted, making the filled receptacleat once ready for shipment or storage. The height of sheet 12 isproportioned to allow the heads 13 to snugly hold the extremities 9 ofthe fillers, and the width of the shell is preferably adapted tocontainsixty fillers (3O doz. eggs), as this number of eggs isconsidered convenient for handling, with respect to Weight, volume, andcounting, when the receptacles are inshipment or storage.

As each egg rests upon a spring 10, any

ar to which the receptacle and fillers may be subjected is taken up bysaid springs and fracture of the eggs thereby prevented. Also, due tothe construction of this receptacle, and to the form of the fillers andtheir arrangement therein, general breakage thereof and of the eggs,which occurs with present day crating, is prevented.

It will be evident that the handle 25 ofiers a very convenient means forcarrying the filled receptacles about and also conduces to carefulplacing of the receptacles when loading and unloading.

If desired, a suitable seal may be fixed partly upon the nut 26 of thehandle and on a portion of the head 13 adjacent thereto, wherebyunscrewing of the handle will be detected and unauthorized tamperingwith the contents of the receptacle prevented.

Besides reinforcing the heads 13 and limiting their movement into theshell, the

straps 27 also serve to separate the receptacles when placed upon eachother, whereby air can gain access therein through perforations 30provided in said heads. It will be thus noted that when the eggs areloaded in transit and in storage they are thoroughly ventilated andample air is admitted to each egg in the receptacle; the air passingreadily around the spaces between the receptacles, due to their roundform, and through the top, and enters the spaces between the roundfillers and through the holes 11 to each egg.

After all the eggs have been taken out from the devices, upon arrival totheir destination or removal from storage, all the parts comprising thereceptacle, and the tillers, may be shipped back separately to berefilled with eggs and again transported, and the devices may be thusused over again any number of times. hen shipping the parts back theedges 14 of sheet 12 are unlocked and the sheet spread out in crescentform, so that any number of these sheets belonging to variousreceptacles may be placed one adjacent the other to occupy comparativelysmall space. In the same manner all the heads 13, rods 20, and handles25 belonging to various receptacles may be piled together. Said partsbeing entirely interchangeable any set thereof may be taken up toconstitute a receptacle. The fillers may be shipped back by opening thetubes 1, spreading the sheets 2 thereof flat, and pressing the springs10 back to lie flat upon each other. All the parts can he thereforeshipped back in greatly reduced bulk at comparatively little expense.

It is found that loading eggs with this device requires less freight andstorage space than present day crating, and is therefore less expensive.The reshipinent and the repeated use of the devices likewise conduce tolowering the cost of handling eggs on a large scale.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of an eggfiller tube for holding eggs, a strip extending along the length of thetube and held to its inner side against displacement, and springsprojecting from said strip and arranged to be disposed between the eggs.

2. The combination of an egg filler tube for holding eggs, a stripextending along the length of the tube and held to its inner sideagainst displacement, said strip being curved in cross-section, andsprings projecting from said strip and arranged to be disposed betweenthe eggs.

3. The combination of an egg filler tube comprising an oblong sheetadaptable to be curved into tube form for holding eggs, means to lockthe edges of said sheet for maintaining the sheet in tubular form, astrip extending along the length of the tube on its inner side, andsprings projecting from said strip and arranged to be disposed betweenthe eggs. I

4. An egg filler tube comprising an oblong sheet adaptable to be curvedinto tube form for holding eggs, means to lock and unlock the edges ofsaid sheet for maintaining the sheet in tubular form, and metallicsprings fixed on said sheet adaptable to be extended transverselytherefrom when in tubular form and disposed between the eggs.

5. An egg filler tube comprising a sheet adaptable to be curved intotube form for holding eggs, and metallic springs fixed on said sheetadaptable to be extended transversely therefrom when in tubular form anddisposed between the eggs to protect the eggs against shocks imparted tosaid tube longitudinally.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county of New York, and State ofNew York, this 5th day of May, A. D. 1913.

FREADERICK K. PLUMBLY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. LA Bun, B. ROMAN.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents,

Washington, D. G.

